If you are chasing merit at an engineering college, with the gpa look at schools like WVU and Alabama.

Unlikely

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS GPA 3.86 unweighted, 4.76 weighted, SAT 1530. He might retake SAT. Interested in the Engineering school.
Can he get any money from UMD? We live in MD.

With an UW gpa of 3.86, your DS may struggle to get into engineering at UMD. It is a very competitive program. Will get no merit.

+1. If you are from MCPS or HCPS better make a backup plan. Engineering at UMD may not happen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS GPA 3.86 unweighted, 4.76 weighted, SAT 1530. He might retake SAT. Interested in the Engineering school.
Can he get any money from UMD? We live in MD.

With an UW gpa of 3.86, your DS may struggle to get into engineering at UMD. It is a very competitive program. Will get no merit.

+1

An uw of 3.86 from MCPS won’t get you into engineering school.

Mine had 3.87uw from a top DMV private with top rigor. Composite ACT of 35 on two single tests - with super score 36.

Did not apply for a highly competitive CS or STEM major and still only got $9k merit to be split over two years - not invited to honors or scholars.

Anonymous wrote:DS GPA 3.86 unweighted, 4.76 weighted, SAT 1530. He might retake SAT. Interested in the Engineering school.
Can he get any money from UMD? We live in MD.

Yes but it's essentially a lottery among qualified applicants.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS GPA 3.86 unweighted, 4.76 weighted, SAT 1530. He might retake SAT. Interested in the Engineering school.
Can he get any money from UMD? We live in MD.

With an UW gpa of 3.86, your DS may struggle to get into engineering at UMD. It is a very competitive program. Will get no merit.

+1

There are many threads on this in DCUM and CC. Look up threads on Banneker Key (BK) also. Although admissions is major blind, the consensus is that some majors make it easier to get merit. They especially like to spread around the BK winners. CS & engineering are the hardest, because so many of the kids have high stats. My rising freshman got $4500x2 years. CS, 4.0 UW, 1550, not MC.

Anonymous wrote:DS GPA 3.86 unweighted, 4.76 weighted, SAT 1530. He might retake SAT. Interested in the Engineering school.
Can he get any money from UMD? We live in MD.

With an UW gpa of 3.86, your DS may struggle to get into engineering at UMD. It is a very competitive program. Will get no merit.

For engineering, no. Far too competitive.

Not from MCPS.

My kid had similar stats, was accepted into their Honors program with a nice central dorm, and received a whopping $1000 in merit aid!!!

DD (non MD resident) got $5k and was offered the scholars program. 4.0 UW, 34 ACT w national sports and music recognitions. Cum Laude at high school.

Others have said UMD feels this is DD’s safety and only offering some to wet the appetite. DD is now enrolled in a T20 school that actually offered more $$$ than UMD.

If you're coming from Montgomery County Schools, then no. You don't have a chance at a scholarship. My kid had 4.0 UW, 4.75 W, SAT 1500, top 5% of class, application magnet program completer, and got nothing. Applied as a Physics major. Offered Scholars program.

Following because this is almost my kid - slightly lower gpa and slightly higher SAT

DS GPA 3.86 unweighted, 4.76 weighted, SAT 1530. He might retake SAT. Interested in the Engineering school.
Can he get any money from UMD? We live in MD.